In the Year that King Uzziah Died

This idea came from Michael Youssef. I trust that it will bless you as much as it did me. 

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” This is from Isaiah 6. This message is timely for us, just as it was for Isaiah. First, a little background. Uzziah had been the King of Judea for 52 years. He was a godly king and did some outstanding things. Isaiah had ministered during this reign and it the country was stable, at peace, and pleasing to the Lord.

Disclaimer: Uzziah did become proud and that led to a “hiccup” in his reign, but, by and large, he was a good and godly king. Compare this to some of the kings that had the epitaph when they died that went: “Died and was buried, to no one’s regret.” When Uzziah died, Isaiah was grieving and concerned. The nation had enjoyed a long reign of peace and safety. God was glorified and was blessing the land. 

Here in chapter 6 Isaiah writes, without saying that he was concerned, but we surely can understand his concern. “Who and what comes next?” “How will they rule?” “Will the country continue to follow the Lord or will they drift away?” (Or in some cases, it was not a drift, but a precipitous leap away from God.)

It does not seem to be a problem to see Isaiah having gone to the Temple to hear from the Lord. The “Temple” in the verse may have been a vision of the “worship center” in heaven, or it was the Temple in Jerusalem. I like the latter idea. Let’s join him.

He trudges into the Temple, wondering what is next. And then the Lord appeared. “I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” Judah’s throne was empty, but Isaiah was shown that the Lord was still on His throne. God’s throne is never empty. What a comforting thought. 

And this is enough to get us through the day. But he didn’t stop there. The train of His robe filled the temple. (I found a reference to that on this web site. https://nancyaruegg.com/tag/the-train-of-gods-robe/)

“The train of his robe: In ancient times, the flowing train on a monarch’s robe was a symbol of glory and splendor. To understand the importance of a train, we have to remember that in those days, all clothing had to be constructed “from scratch”—fibers of cotton, linen, or wool had to be spun into thread, threads had to be woven into cloth, cloth had to be cut and sewn into garments by hand. It was a time-consuming process.

“Only the rich and powerful could afford to add extra length to their robes. The longer the train, the more glorious and splendid the king. And as he paraded past his subjects, the length of his robe was meant to impress.

“Filled the temple: Isaiah’s statement conveys the magnitude of God’s glory compared to any earthly king or queen. Symbolically, the robe represents God’s infinite splendor and majesty—his glory. As one preacher explained, “air is the atmosphere of earth, God’s glory is the atmosphere of heaven.”  One day we will breathe God’s glory!” End quote.

Not much explanation needed there. When the King is gone, the Lord remains. He is eternal, unchanging, and supernal. Glory! Seraphim hovered above Him and cried out:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Notice that the glory of the Lord, represented in the Temple, was not limited to that spot where Isaiah saw it. The whole earth is resplendent with His glory. Even when things look bleak, we can be assured that it is all for His glory. Isaiah may have been in sorrow, fear, or despair. But that did not last long. Notice that the foundations of the whole place were shaken. (I am assuming that you will look up the passage and read along. Link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+6&version=NASB)

And how did Isaiah respond? Listen to his cry.

“Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.”

King James says, “I am undone.” That is just not going out with your zipper down. It is like parading down town in a hospital gown. Everything is hanging out. And his confession is a model for us, you and me, to repeat. “Undone, unclean lips, part of a crowd with unclean lips.” We can only turn our eyes to the King, the Lord of Hosts.

And the remedy? Read on:

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”

The cleansing is spiritual. The Lord will purge the contagion from our “mouths” and thus our lives. We have confessed our sin. And now the guilt is removed. The only thing left for us to do is to make sure that we do not allow that filth back into our system. As Jesus told the Pharisees that what comes out of a man defiles him. (Matthew 15:11) And what comes out is the effluvia of what is inside.

(I last saw that used to describe how the virus spreads from infected people to others. The virus effluviates its spores or what ever. And those virus particles hitch a ride on any moisture droplets that are available and spread wherever they are not contained.)

Isaiah symbolically had an internal purging and that is why we need to confess with him, “Woe is me! I am undone. My lips are unclean and my “crowd” is unclean.” Begin with me. Cleanse myself, my circle and family, my church, my nation, and my world.

We, like Isaiah, have lost a leader. Another one is coming. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, High and lifted up.” Then we will see no one else or anything else. We can also see our own condition and how bad off we are.  We can, like Isaiah, take the clear message to all who hear. 

“Be of good courage. Do not be afraid. The Lord is with you.”  Amen.

Christmas Thoughts 2020

Several things have recently occurred to me or been suggested by others. I just have to share them. The first was a story by Paul Harvey, repeated by David Jeremiah. A guy was at home on a stormy Christmas Eve and noticed some birds trying to get into his living room window. They could see the light and recognized that it meant heat and safety. So he went outside and opened the door to his barn and even scattered some bread crumbs and birdseed to “lead” them into the shelter.

But, as soon as he emerged from the house, they were frightened and scattered. And nothing he could do would entice them into the safety of the barn. He realized that they were afraid of him and did not know that this immense, imposing figure could possibly be the source of their safety and security.

After many futile attempts to woo them or shoo them into safety, he thought to himself, “If only I could be a bird and tell them that there is safety and no danger in the barn.” Then it struck him that he had stumbled onto the meaning of Christmas. (Sounds like a good lesson there. See you on Jan 3. Smiley face) God knew that the only way that He could communicate with man was to become a man, Himself. And there you have the Reason for the Season. Amen.

Second thought: As we contemplate the disruption of our schedules, we might think back about 2000 years. A young, first-time pregnant girl was required to make an 85-90 mile trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem in her ninth month. All of the Ubers were out of service, so she either walked or took the “donkey express.” (Not related to the “Polar Express.”)

Talk about a “holiday disruption.” And, to her, it was not even a holiday. She and her husband had to make the arduous trip in order to be assessed for their share of taxes to support the Roman emperor. “Sigh,” as my sister likes to say. 

So when we do not get to enjoy the normal seasonal activities, we might think back to this, at best, mid-teen girl who made an extreme sacrifice to play a part of the first story in our meditation. What were her words? Oh yes, “...may it be done to me according to your word.” 

Let our approach and attitude toward the inconvenience of the upset schedule match that of this young lady. And, we might as well throw in her likewise obedient and dedicated husband. Amen.

And to top off our thoughts, we turn to Chuck Swindoll. His Christmas comments included the comparison of Covid with sin. Both started with one person and infected the whole world. 

Adam sinned in the Garden and his sin has since infected and infested the entire human population. Romans 5:19 spells it out for us.

For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

We all contracted the disease that will result in certain death unless we have the “antidote” administered. Sounds slightly familiar, doesn’t it? And check out the final phrase of Romans 5:19.

...through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

The “being made righteous” means that the death penalty is not commuted, or pardoned, or even removed by acquittal. We are guilty and bound for death–eternal death, separated from God. But He became a man, like our bird-loving friend above. And He didn’t just show us the way to “safety,” but removed the threat of death from our lives. What a God! What a Savior! What a Deliverer! Amen!

Christmas is not just a time of gift giving, as great as even the gift of salvation is. It is a time of total transformation. He changed our sin-cursed existence. It was one that, just as surely as an untreated, severe case of Covid, would lead to death. Only Covid is a physical death. Sin-death is spiritual, eternal, and complete. We are condemned to be separated from Our Father in Heaven, forever. There is no escape, no relief. 

“But God,” don’t you just love that phrase? But God, literally stepped into humanity, paid the price for our transgression, and made it possible for us to be “sheltered,” with Him forever. That is where the story above breaks down. The bird-lover did not “invite” the birds into his own house. He sent, or tried to send them, to the barn. God invites us to join Him in His house, forever. Glory. Amen.

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

Addendum to Christmas Thoughts:

Thanks to Colin Smith and Adrian Rogers we get the final, for now, anyway, thoughts for Christmas. One character or set of characters that was involved in Jesus’ birth also showed up later in His life. Recall that both Mary and Joseph had the birth announced to them ahead of time. And angel informed them both that they would be the parents of a virgin-born Boy. What a shock and privilege. Never been done before–or after.

Incidentally, a Joseph has been instrumental in God’s plans from almost the beginning of His interactions with Abraham and his seed. First, a Joseph went to Egypt to prepare the way to save the lives of the entire nation. (Genesis 37, 45, and 50) Then, after Jesus was born, another Joseph took the Baby to Egypt to save His life, only not from starvation this time, but from the homicidal plans of an insane ruler. Finally, a third Joseph provided the tomb in which He was laid after the “Passover offering” on Calvary. (Mark 15, Luke 22, John 19)

But no “Joseph” will be needed for the “rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey likes to say. But, as we will see in a minute, an angel will be involved. Meanwhile, back to our meditation.

An angel announced the coming birth to Joseph and Mary. Then, in Luke 2 a multitude of angels announced the birth of the Savior to the shepherds. More angels were involved here, and we would be wise to “hearken to what they said.”

Then after Jesus had been crucified and raised from the dead, an angel of two announced to another Mary, and Peter and John that, “He is not here, for He is risen!” This is the third angel announcement about His life. But that is not all.

When Jesus went back to heaven in Acts 1, another angel “announced” what they had seen with their own eyes. Jesus had ascended to heaven and the angel prophesied that Jesus would come back in the same way that they had seen Him go. 

Just a thought. This cannot be the Glorious Return in Revelation 19, because He will come on a white horse with a sword to slay His enemies. The return prophesied by the angel is a peaceful one, to take His own with Him back to heaven as Paul spelled out for us in 1 Corinthians 15 and I Thessalonians 4:16. 

And our final announcement is when another angel will proclaim the time of this return, the Rapture. I’m starting to get excited. Note that He is returning with a shout this time, not a sword, as noted above. The “sword-return” will have to wait for a while. But, just as the other prophecies were specifically and completely fulfilled, so this one will be exactly as predicted. Get ready. I’m going in the first “call up.”

Jesus’ time on earth was bracketed by angel announcements. Nothing else in history received so much attention from the angelic realm. And their fascination with this event is more than warranted. He came to save the whole world, as we saw in our Hebrews 2 study. Not everyone will accept Him, but, to those who received Him, believed on Him, He gave the right to become the children of God. (Thanks for the explanation, John. (1:12) )

I received. I believed. And I am waiting for the call home. Our Father in heaven is awaiting our arrival. Glory! And so are the angels. (Remember, they “longed to look into these things.” 1 Peter 1:12) Merry Christmas. He is coming again.

Sins of Manasseh

A contemplation on the fate of our country on the eve of the 2020 election. This has been called the most momentous election in our history. At least, to this point in our history, it is. While the choice between individual men is not overly attractive, the divide between world views, as exposed by the respective party platforms, could not be more stark. And, regardless of the side that, one chooses, the question arises, “Is America too far gone? Can its downward course be halted and even reversed?”

I have been reading both Jeremiah and Lamentations recently. That haunting question occurred to the prophet, Jeremiah, in the 15th chapter of his prophecy. Had Judah gone too far? (V. 1-4) Indeed it had. He spent an entire book lamenting the fate of his beloved country. (Pun intended. Lamentations) 

Jeremiah 15 Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people. Send them away from My presence and have them go! 2 And it shall be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Those destined for death, to death; And those destined for the sword, to the sword; And those destined for famine, to famine; And those destined for captivity, to captivity.”’ 3 And I will appoint over them four kinds of doom,” declares the Lord: “the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the sky and the animals of the earth to devour and destroy. 

And why did God seemingly turn His back on His chosen people? We find the answer in verse 4.

I will make them an object of terror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.

And who was Manasseh, other than the son of Hezekiah? 2 Chronicles 32:33

So Hezekiah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

What follows is a summary of Manasseh’s activities for 55 years. (And we thought one term of a poor President was trying! But I digress.) We will not hit this, point by point, but we can get an overview of the wickedness of Manasseh. 2 Kings 21 (also 2 Chronicles 33:1)

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, just as Ahab king of Israel had done, and he worshiped all the heavenly lights and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” 5 He built altars for all the heavenly lights in the two courtyards of the house of the Lord. 6 And he made his son pass through the fire, interpreted signs, practiced divination, and used mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger. 7 Then he put the carved image of Asherah that he had made in the house of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever.” (Ed Note: This is a precursor to the defiling of the Lord’s sanctuary by Antiochus IV in 168 or 167 BC, and later in the Tribulation by the anti-Christ.)   ...9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh encouraged them to do evil, more than the nations whom the Lord eliminated from the presence of the sons of Israel.

First we find a catalog of Manasseh’s sins, just about hitting every button to provoke the Lord that was possible. And that included the Asherah pole in the Temple itself. “Fortunately” for him, the Glory of the Lord had left the Temple (Ezekiel 10:18) years before, or he might have been incinerated on the spot like Nabab and Abhiu were. (Leviticus 10:1-2)

And look at verse 9. Manasseh not only did all of these vile things, he encouraged the people to do the same. (Also 2 Chronicles 33:9) And, to our chagrin as we observe, they not only “reluctantly” acquiesced, but they seemed to join in exuberantly. “Finally that old ‘spoil sport’ Hezekiah is out of the way. Now we can have some real fun! Whoopee!”

It was not as if the Lord abandoned them to do evil, as He did, and does. (Romans 1:24 “Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts...26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions...28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper....” Three specific times He “gave them up.”) He did not abandon them, but here in 2 Kings, the Lord continued to plead with them.

10 Now the Lord spoke through His servants the prophets, saying, 11 “Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations, having done more evil than all that the Amorites did who were before him, and has also misled Judah into sin with his idols...”

And here we find an implicit plea for reconciliation. Turn back to God to avoid...

12 “therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such a disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears about it, both of his ears will ring. 14 And I will abandon the remnant of My inheritance and hand them over to their enemies, and they will become as plunder and spoils to all their enemies, 15 because they have done evil in My sight, and have been provoking Me to anger since the day their fathers came from Egypt, even to this day.’”

Was I imagining the plea? 2 Chronicles 33:10 “So the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.” This was not a unilateral plunge into idolatry and abominations. It was a whole-hearted, multi-lateral, rush into depravity by the whole nation. They all, or at least most of them, were part and parcel to the events. And that led to the irreversible descent into destruction that we read about in Jeremiah 15. Can, or did that happen to other nations? We can turn to a more contemporary prophet in our own country. Benjamin Franklin said, “The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: 'that God governs in the affairs of men.' And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”

America most assuredly rose with the aid of Almighty God. And we, like Judah, have strayed from our foundation. The chances are very good that we can insert “USA” for the people in the above passages. And the following seems to apply to us a much as to ancient Judah.

And then, just to top things off, it seemed like Manasseh began to emulate Cain and spill innocent blood. So much, in fact, that...well, read it.

16 Furthermore, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin into which he misled Judah, in doing evil in the sight of the Lord. 

That chilling scenario is just as apropos to now, as it was to Judah. Since 1973 the estimated total of abortions is 61.6 million and about 250 million more have been chemically aborted. As Jeremiah pointed out, it difficult to see anything more “innocent” than an unborn baby. 

And what is our conclusion? Zechariah 8:14 

“For this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Just as I determined to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to anger,’ says the Lord of armies, ‘and I have not relented...”

God made good on His threat. He did not relent. But after that was complete, He spoke again. We love to quote Jeremiah 29:11 where God declares that He has planned good, and not evil–for Israel, and hopefully, by extension, to any God-fearing nation. But in light of their history and ours, we are in the way of harm. Unless we repent, that is. Read on in Zechariah 8:15

...so I have again determined in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! 16 These are the things which you shall do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace at your gates.

Repentance and restoration was available to Judah, and then the whole nation of Israel. We can petition for that same relief to be provided to our country, and hopefully without a season of “captivity.”. We do not “placate” God by doing the things He listed. We repent and then our behavior will be such that it pleases the Lord.

It may not be too late. It was for Judah, and they went into 70 years of captivity. But the Lord brought them out. Let’s hope and pray that we will repent before we are brought under judgment. 

Parable of the Pine

Disclaimer: It is normally not a good idea to begin an essay with a disclaimer. But in this case it seems appropriate. The item in view here is probably a miniature Alberta Spruce, but that does not alliterate well with “parable.”  Since they both are evergreens the illustration will work with either species. Now to the story.

We have been cultivating a row of special shrubs between our front porch and the sidewalk for quite a while now. We are just about to add the black, weed-blocking fabric and finish up the landscaping with some decorative stones. ...until about a week ago. We spilled some dishwashing detergent on one of the green, cone-shaped shrubs and it turned brown where the liquid had “washed” it. (Photos included) Within a few days the entire shrub had dried up and the needles fell from it when it was gently brushed. All that remains is the “skeleton” of our Alberta spruce, or for our story, pine.

I was looking at it while ruminating on current events, and the term “systemic” came to mind. We hear of systemic racism pervading our society. Well, the “soap” that spilled on our parable pine was systemic. Nothing remains of the original. That made me think of an essay that I read elsewhere that defined “systemic.” Most “dictionary” definitions are essentially identical:

“relating to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part.”

That means that the entire body is completely suffused with the poison or malady. Ironically, the “systemic racism,” leading to suppression and oppression of certain sectors of society, supposedly suffusing police departments and even society, has been decried by members of that segment who are typically far more privileged and possessing benefits far beyond the average citizen of the country.

If the system is “systemically corrupt,” then how do some members of the class escape the effects? “Systemically racist” police forces are headed by Black leaders and often boast significant members of the “oppressed” class. Professional sports quite possibly have more Black  multimillionaires than those of other ethnic origins. 

Actually, “races,” is a misleading and misapplied term. We are all one race–the human race. We do not categorize horses by the color of their hair. We do call some, palominos, but they are still the same horse as a bay or a black or a roan. A horse is a horse is a horse. Human beings are all the same, just with some different levels of pigmentation, just like the horses. Genetically, we are all homo sapiens.

Now, like our parable pine, there are instances of mistreatment and discrimination, but those are localized, rather than systemic. A wide population may be infected or affected by “overspray” from some bad apples, but the entire system has not been compromised like our shrub was. The definition of systemic includes the whole shebang. All members of the oppressed class would have to suffer varying degrees of discrimination and oppression in order to classify the situation as systemic.

Is there a solution to the “localized” injuries that we have witnessed? Localities that have attempted to “Defund police” have experienced greater numbers of homicides and increases in crime in general. Sending a social worker to deal with an armed felon is not an effective countermeasure, in the estimation of most citizens.  If the whole of society is infected, then this systemic flaw does require complete replacement, like our shrub. We must analyze the current situation, or “status quo,” from my debate days.

To illustrate, consider another recent scenario. The multiple hurricanes and severe weather have eroded many seaside cliffs, and as the hillside erodes, a previously luxurious home that was built there begins to be in danger of collapsing into the ocean. We all recognize that doing an interior remodeling of the structure at this point would be both pointless and a complete waste of time.

The initial thrust in the project to preserve and protect the home would be to shore up the hillside and prevent further erosion. Working on the superstructure or roof would not solve the problem. Some solutions require a complete overhaul of the foundation structure and environment, but not a demolition of the whole edifice. Our society has for too long abandoned the logical, moral, legal, spiritual, and societal underpinnings provided by our history. We cannot just repaint the walls, or even demolish the structure and rebuild on the same plot of land. Even the radical elimination of systems will only produce similarly flawed replacements.

Legitimate grievances must be addressed. But to blow them out of all proportion and perspective is just as counterproductive as re-roofing our beach bungalow. Psalm 11:3 tells us, “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” Restoring righteousness and respect for the Creator who put all of these foundations here, are the first steps in correcting the course of our errant ship. (Excuse the shift of metaphors.)

The current situation not systemic. In other words, the “detergent” has not reached the roots and then wilted the whole plant. There is no total “falling off of needles.” Some precincts have Black chiefs or leaders, as previously mentioned. Untold black athletes lead their teams in action and even in remuneration. The undeniable problem that are protested are localized, not systemic.

The foundation of society has eroded. But all is not lost. There is still time to turn back, or in Biblical terms, repent, and return to our first, founding principles. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

First, all men are created equal. That was the fundamental understanding of the founders of the country. Irrespective of the three-fifths clause, all people were considered equal. The three-fifths clause was not a statement of worth or value, but was for the apportionment of representation in the House of Representatives. 

Some parties at the Constitutional Convention wanted to count slaves in the population for determining representation, despite the fact that slaves could not vote. The goal was to inflate and enhance the power of slave-holding states in Congress. The compromise was to reduce the impact of those states in the battle to eliminate slavery.

Second, rights are endowed by the Creator. Since that is true, we should turn back to Him, the One Who gave us rights in the first place.

And finally, racism is not ingrained. We are not born with it. Check two children playing together. They literally are color-blind. Color-blind, that is, until they are taught differently. But, children are not hard to teach to hate. We can rejoice in the fact that the love of the Lord can overcome both our ingrained and learned tendencies to evil. Turn back to God.

Just as we have to replant our parable palm, we need to replant our understanding and obedience to the Lord.

More on the Deity Of Jesus

The Bible is filled with references to the deity of Jesus. I ran across another one in my daily reading. Read Psalm 89:9 with me.

You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.

Does that sound familiar? Oh yes, it is in the New Testament, but, it seems that the Holy Spirit, in inspiring the Old Testament, wanted to lay a firm foundation (no pun intended) for this additional testimony as to Jesus being God. He used sea waves. Let’s explore the OT first.

Job 9 finds him lamenting his situation and responding to the Bildad’s “comforting words” that God rewards the good, so, by inference, Job must not be “good.” Job begins a long defense of, not himself, but God. Job 9 records it, but we will excerpt portions.

5 “It is God...8 And tramples down the waves of the sea....”

Psalm 107:29 continues our thought. That is even more explicitly mirrored in the NT.

He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. 

Now let’s follow this thought into the Gospels.  Matthew 8:26, 27

He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Matthew 14 gives us a second instance. This is the well-known time that Peter walked on the water. V. 32, 33

When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

Mark 4:39, 40 repeats this.

And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

This is notable, because Peter, who was probably the source of Mark’s account, did not include the water-walking episode. I am convinced that it was omitted, not to save Peter the embarrassment of admitting his lack of faith, but to downplay his valor in the incident. He was the only one who stepped out of the boat. But I digress.

Luke 8:23-25 is the final version.

But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24 They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. 25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

The answer to their query, “Who is this?” is very simple. Just glance back to the Old Testament. Clearly, the Holy Spirit was preparing the path for these guys to “get it.” Jesus, in their presence, performed acts that only God, Himself, could do.

The answer, is, that He is God. A casual reading of the Old Testament, Psalms in this instance, just leaps out of the page calling out, “Who did this?” Or, “Who could do this?” Our quick search removes all doubt as to the identity of the One Who literally did this.

The Old Testament writers were speaking theoretically. They had not seen this happen. It reminds me of chemistry class. I would give the students the concept, then we would conduct an experiment to observe it in action. God, in principle, can do these things. But the disciples literally went into the lab and did the “experiment.”

The Lord graciously opened the book of proofs, the answer book for educators in our group, for us to know beyond doubt that Jesus Christ is Lord–God. Glory, what a Savior.

Plea

As I was thinking about a lesson on the Lord’s prayer, I was in the process of preparing our newly planted landscaping patch in front of our porch. I even lay awake at night “dreaming” or something, about hoeing all of the pesky little green intruders that pop up after every rain. We are going to put down the black fabric that supposedly blocks weeks, but I am taking no chances. I am going to excise as many of those pesky interlopers as possible before we make the final installation. Then we will lay a smooth bed of stones on top of that to finish the look of our shrub line. We do not want any unplanted or unplanned vegetation protruding from our rocky plot.

Previously, I had cut out the rotted bases of the six “decorative” posts that seem to hold up the roof over the porch. I replaced those with solid, treated lumber so the whole affair is stronger, sturdier, and longer lasting than the original was when the house was new. We are fixing this place up with new shingles on the roof and new BLACK gutters. They look sharp.

As I was contemplating what I have left to do, a thought flashed into my mind. “Are you fastidious in preparing for eternity and warning others as in preparing a landscaping plot or avoiding COVID-19?” We know people who do not meet anyone and very rarely venture out of their own house and yard. We hopefully, all wear masks when out and assiduously wash our hands or disinfect them at every station in the stores that we enter and leave. And we wash for 20 seconds, just long enough to pray the Lord’s prayer, when we get home.

What about it? Are your preparations for what comes next as choreographed and determined as what you use for “daily chores” or other activities? The consequences of poor preparation will be some nuisance weeds interspersed with the shrubs. Careless or negligent hygiene may expose us to this virus, which, in some instances may even be fatal.

But failing to properly prepare for what comes after death has eternal, everlasting consequences. We join Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Paul is begging you, on behalf of Jesus Himself, to turn to God. Turn before it is too late. We beg you as well. There is nothing on earth that will compensate for missing this invitation. Nothing.

And, just for good measure, turn this around and pass it on to any and everyone you know. This is not just weeds in a garden. It is not just life and death. It is eternal separation from the Lord Who loved you and gave His life for you on the cross.

Romans 5 says that death came to all men (and women) because of Adam’s sin, which we all have copied. Adam died, physically, but he accepted the sacrifice that was made to cover his nakedness. That was a literal picture of the spiritual transaction that took place and culminated on Calvary. Jesus died as a substitute for Adam, and Eve. And He died for you and me. The sin debt was satisfied by the death of the Perfect Substitute, not an innocent lamb as in the Garden, but of the Innocent Lamb on Calvary.

Beg is not a strong enough word. When people came to Jesus to ask Him to heal their children they often sprawled on the ground in front of Him, grasping his feet. They did not need to portray such anguished pleading. His heart was ready to answer even before they asked.

Just as we ask for “bread” for the day, we need the living bread that Jesus talked about in John 6. We have to ask for it to have life. To have eternal life. Please ask today. We beg you. If I could grab your feet and hold on until you asked, I would. But that is not how Jesus works.

You have a free will, to choose. Choose Jesus. Choose Him today. There is nothing more important and no other option. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Rapture in Romans 11?

As I was reading Romans 11 a verse and concept jumped out at me. Let’s look at what Paul said. Romans 11:16-24

If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.  You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

This is in the context of explaining the fact that the Jews had not been faithful to their promises and commitments. They had not followed the Lord, and consequently, God had stopped working with them. Paul, in chapter 9 mourned this and prayed fervently for the Jews to get back into relationship with the Lord, their God. He went on to explain that Israel had been set aside and God is now working with the Church to “preach the Gospel to all the world.” (Mark 16:15)

Our context for this consideration is Daniel 9:24-27. Let’s check that.

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Daniel had read the fact that the Nation of Israel would be captive in Babylon for 70 years in Jeremiah  25:11, 12 and Jeremiah 29:10. So his prayer was, “What next?” The passage in Daniel is God’s answer to Daniel. There will be 490 years in Israel’s history. The first 483 years led up to the Messiah, when He would be cut off. We read about that in the Gospels when Jesus was rejected as Messiah on Palm Sunday then crucified later that week. (Roughly AD 29-33)

Following that event, Jerusalem would be destroyed. This happened in AD 70. The rest of the verse tells about a “prince who is to come,” who would make a peace treaty with Israel to ensure peace for seven years. This marks the beginning of the final seven years of God’s plan for Israel which will culminate in the Jews returning to the Lord. Paul seized on that prospect. Israel would be saved and returned to the place of honor in God’s plan for the world.

And this final seven-year period would be the catalyst for this transformation and repentance. In the meantime, God established the church, beginning in Acts 2 and gave them the commission of sharing the Good News of salvation to the entire world–including the Jews. This we recognize as the church age. This was the “wild olive branch” being grafted into the tree.

We know from fulfilled prophecy, that what God said in the past has come true. So what has not yet been completed just requires a “bit of time” until that is completed. The Romans passage confirms that.

But that leaves one question for us to answer. Where is the Church and what part does it play in this final restoration? The final seven years is named, descriptively as the Tribulation. It is going to be a terrible time. Revelation 5 through 19 gives a vivid account of this time of destruction, leading up to the Battle of Armageddon and the Return of the Lord Jesus. But what part of this does the Chruch play?

Paul tells us of the Rapture, the catching away of believers at some time in the future. (1Corinthians15:50-56; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) But the exact timing of that event is not delineated for us–here. But it seems that there are some specifics given. First turn to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 where Paul explains one detail of the “Day of the Lord.”

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (Day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

This “man of lawlessness” is the “prince to come” in Daniel 9. Daniel called his actions an “abomination.” Here Paul tells us that this guy, we call him the anti-Christ, will try to take the place of God. (Just by way of review, that happened way back there when Lucifer tried to exalt his throne above God. And Adam and Eve were encouraged to become God. And on, and on, and on. The trail will stop here.)

So this seems to indicate that the anti-Christ will not be revealed until “what restrains him” is removed from the earth. And what can restrain Satan and his work? That is the Holy Spirit. So this anti-Christ cannot appear until the Holy Spirit stops restraining him. And notice how the restraint will terminate. The One Who restrains will be taken out of the way.

What could that mean? Follow this logic carefully. The Church did not appear until the Messiah was cut off. And when Paul was talking about this in the life of the Jewish nation, he said that the branch was “broken off.” A new and different branch was grafted into the tree in its place. This is where the Church began the job that Israel had failed. That was the job of sharing the news of God’s redemption for all men. Paul’s other writings make clear the co-partnership of the Gentiles and the Jews in the Church. Galatians 3:28 says that the Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ, or the Church.

The influence of the Holy Spirit, living within individual members of the Church is definitely restraining the lawless one. It appears that Paul’s argument is that the indwelling Holy Spirit is the active agent involved in restraining the anti-Christ and his activity.

And for the Holy Spirit to be removed from the world, the individual believers in whom He dwells must leave also. Hence, the Pretribulation Rapture seems to emerge as the accurate interpretation. Now turn our attention to the Romans passage.

The branch was broken off, and a wild olive branch was grafted into the tree in its place. Focus specifically on v. 24.

...how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? 

Couple this with the seventy weeks of Daniel and we inevitably arrive at the conclusion that God’s plan was specific for Israel, 483 years. Then the Church for about 2000 years, and counting, follows. But the culmination God is seeking is specifically directed towards Israel. Daniel 9:24 specifically ties the “results” of the 490 years to Israel.

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place."

First, the focus is on “your people.” Clearly, Daniel was a Jew. Your holy city, is Jerusalem. So the purpose of the full 490 year program is to effect some result in the nation of Israel. The specifics are listed.

1. To finish the transgression. The rejection of Christ as Messiah was merely the culmination of Jewish refusal to accept God’s plans.

2. “To make an end of sin,” will occur at the final judgment. Interestingly enough, Jesus seems to have identified a dual judgment. One that focuses on nations and a second one that deals with individuals. The second one is the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20. The Matthew 25 judgment is specifically for nations.

32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

The sheep receive their reward. V. 34

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

And the goats, likewise are judged. V. 41a

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels....” 

So the sin of Israel is ended. They, as a nation, will follow their God. This prophecy is clearly directed toward Israel. Couple that with Romans 11: 26, 27.

...and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

Did you notice the emphasis? All Israel will be saved and their sins are removed. Sounds just like Daniel, doesn’t it. And the conclusion of our thoughts is back in Romans. If Israel was “cut off” to allow the Gentiles and the Church to fulfill God’s redemptive plans, then is it logical that the Church will be “cut off” or taken out to make way for God’s plans for Israel? For them to be “grafted back into the tree?”

And the logical question is, “Where will the ‘native branch’ be grafted back into the tree?” Removing the Church by way of the Rapture makes all of this fit like a hand in a glove to all of the prophecies. And coupling that with the scenario in Revelation 7 where the 144,000 Jews are sealed and sent into the world to preach, we have a seamless transition from the Church age to the incipient Kingdom, later identified as the Millennium in chapter 20 of Revelation.

Removing the church heightens the prospect that the world will listen to the 144,000 Jews as they fan out throughout the world with the message that “Jesus has taken His own out of the world and will be back in seven years.” (Seven years minus the time since the treaty actuated by the anti-Christ, that is.)

And Jesus’ comment that no one knows the day or the hour that He will return must refer to the Rapture, as Daniel’s clock, which was literally fulfilled to the day for the “cutting off of Messiah,” will pinpoint when that Messiah will come back on His white horse in Revelation 19. It will be seven years after the treaty is effectuated.

So in this somewhat roundabout trail, we seem to have discovered a pre-Tribulation Rapture in Romans. We ought not be surprised as the Scripture is completely consistent and uniform throughout. We can trust its accuracy from Genesis to Revelation. If we find “contradictions” or lack of clarity, we can be assured that these “problems” lie in our interpretation and understanding and not with the corpus of Scripture.

We cry out with David, “Lord, I love Thy law.” (Psalm 119:97 and 113) And with John, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)